Reform UK has revealed who the party’s candidate is for the upcoming Denton and Gorton by-election.
Reform UK has unveiled broadcaster Matt Goodwin as the party’s candidate at the Denton and Gorton by-election.
Lee Anderson MP joined him at the announcement in the constituency on Tuesday afternoon.
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage MP said: “The Gorton and Denton by-election is a referendum on Keir Starmer and his hopeless government. A vote for Labour is a vote for Keir Starmer and more of the same uncontrolled mass immigration, broken borders, record high taxes, surging energy bills, and all the rest.
“If you want to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country, you need to vote for Reform’s outstanding candidate in Gorton and Denton, Matt Goodwin.”
Mr Farage has said his party’s chances in the by-election next month have been boosted after Andy Burnham was blocked from running in the seat.
The vote is taking place on February 26 to find a replacement for Labour MP Andrew Gwynne who quit last week after suffering “significant ill health”.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Farage told reporters: “Burnham would have galvanised the anti-Starmer vote.
“He’d have pushed the turnout up, and I think it would have been very difficult for us to beat him.
“I’m being absolutely frank about that.. we might have come a good second.
“Now he’s not there. I think that the anti-Starmer vote will coalesce around us, so I think our chances have improved massively overnight.
“Is it a pushover? Of course it’s not; it’s rather like Runcorn.
“It’s one of those traditional safe Labour seats with a big majority and it’ll probably be very close, but are we now in with a serious shout? Absolutely.”
Mr Goodwin is a writer, broadcaster and academic.
Both his parents worked for the NHS in Manchester – his father ran the Greater Manchester Health Authority and his mother went to college in the city before working for the health board.
He was the first person in his family to go to university – he went to the University of Salford.
Mr Goodwin said: “This by-election is a referendum on Keir Starmer. It is a chance for the people of Gorton and Denton to have their say on Keir Starmer and make history.
“I will stand up for the local people of Gorton and Denton against the broken Westminster establishment. I will demand Britain fixes its borders, invests in our National Health Service, and clamps down on crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Only Reform can be trusted to fix broken Britain. We will put the people of Gorton and Denton where they belong: first. Gorton and Denton needs Reform.”
